Management Dilemmas: The Theory of Constraints Approach to Problem Identification and Solutions (The St. Lucie Press/Apics Series on Constraints Management) (Paperback)

~ (Author) "The Theory of Constraints (TOC) is a unique management philosophy that strives for a rationale or scientific approach to management..." (more)
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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

An incredible ability awaits managers who practice Theory of Constraints (TOC) techniques: they can take a problem, look beyond the less important details, and directly identify the source of trouble. They've been known to promptly resolve perplexing matters - while the uninformed remain stuck.So many more managers could gain the benefit of TOC thinking... if they only took the time. Eli Schragenheim now offers an informative and enjoyable self-learning method, proving how TOC can be invaluable at a wide variety of workplaces.Management Dilemmas: The Theory of Constraints Approach to Problem Identification and Solutions conveys TOC methods through "virtual experience"-stories of managers and the situations they need to resolve. Take note of the dilemmas they're facing. Think about how you would respond under those circumstances. Then, compare your reactions with Schragenheim's TOC-influenced analysis.Associated with Dr. Eli Goldratt (the founder of TOC) for seven years, Schragenheim doesn't tell how the stories end. Instead, he encourages the reader to try out TOC techniques-especially the need to arrive at the most precise answer by raising the right questions. The conclusions you reach today could greatly help your on-the-job thinking tomorrow!

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: CRC; 1 edition (November 30, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1574442228
• ISBN-13: 978-1574442229
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #467,837 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ideal for executives & managers just learing about TOC!, July 13, 1999

By A Customer

This book is powerful in two ways. First, it shows how TOC is being applied in a variety of enterprises and situations. Second, it gives the reader the opportunity to learn about TOC by thinking through a variety of situations. The author has not created a detailed textbook that attempts to explain the intracacies of TOC. Rather he presents a fun to read book which consists of a variety of case studies. Each chapter begins by revealing the information a consultant might gather when analyzing the situation. The reader is then challenged to stop and think about how they would approach the problem. Each chapter ends with an analysis from a TOC perspective, allowing the reader to see how the TOC approach differs from their current way of thinking. This book will broaden the reader's understanding of TOC and how it applies accross the broad spectrum of enterprises and the systems they use to reach their goals. [PS: This book is also great for the TOC veteran: it provides a great opportunity to compare your thinking to one of the recognized guru's of TOC.]

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gets the TOC juices flowin', May 19, 2000

By	Adam F. Jewell (Pittsburgh, PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Mr. Schragenheim has put together a killer collection of business dilemmas, explained them is sufficient detail so as to illustrate the problematic issues, and provided TOC analysis of each.

The book starts out with an intro to TOC, and proceeds to explore a variety of small and large business and projects experiencing problems. You feel like you are reading about, and can identify with real people, as you progress through the book. The issues faced are common, and the thoughts, intuition, and frustrations of the characters familiar. All cases have constraints in need of elevation, and subordination, which Eli illustrates through both written TOC analysis, and through the use of traditional TOC constraint busting diagrams.

"Management Dilemmas", falls smack in between "The Goal", and Dettmers' "Goldratt's Theory of Constraints." It's more in depth than "The Goal", but not as intense as Dettmer's book. If you are just getting your feet wet in TOC this book will not be over your head.

An excellent addition to this book, and all the TOC material out there would be case studies and applications in Dot-Com world. For much less than the cost of a Super Bowl ad (or the 120+ million it took Boo.com to go BOOHOO and belly up in 6 months), companies could come up with a systematic approach to identify, elevate, and exploit constraints, increase throughput, and have a chance of turning a profit.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great learning experience, June 28, 1999

By	[e-mail] (Geneva, Switzerland) - See all my reviews

Read this book if you want a powerful insight into how some people are able to look at a problem and quickly come up with an excellent solution. How some people seem to be able to ignore all the extraneous stuff and bore into the core issue. Most people can learn how to do this and this book is a great place to start. Schragenheim has constructed many real cases of business and organisational problems that you can solve. At the end of each story he provides his own interpretation based on his intimate knowledge of the Theory of Constraints' (TOC) thinking processes.

To get the most from this book I highly recommend you solve each of the problem cases on your own before reading the solution. This way you can compare your thinking to the power of the TOC thinking processes. Working through the problems on your own makes the book more enjoyable and enhances the learning experience a lot. I learned a lot and the cases will be a great help to me.